Within the framework of the Ministry's strenuous efforts exerted in preparation for the Hajj season, it has, for the second consecutive year, provided high-tech devices for reducing body temperature, to treat those suffering from sun strikes at the places where they are.
The MOH Undersecretary of Supply and Engineering Affairs, and chairman of the Supportive Technical Services (medical supply, equipment and laboratories), Dr. Salah bin Fahad Al-Mazrou, explained that such a field-treatment device is formed of a bag containing a blanket connected to a mobile cooling device to reduce the pateint's temperature in moments by applying it to the chest and neck. 550 bags have been supplied for that purpose. That's to be added 15 intravenous cooling devices distributed on the Holy Sites' hospitals.
Dr. Al-Mazrou said, “The Ministry has satisfied all the requirements of the Health Sites' hospitals in Makkah and Madinah (medicines, equipment, medical and laboratory supplies, etc.) to be ready for providing high quality health services during this year's Hajj season. All such supplied have been provided by the supplier companies with which the Ministry has already contracted in the light of the meetings of the Hajj Preparatory Committees which begin with the end of the former Hajj season, and identify each region's allocation in accordance with its real needs.”
He mentioned also that the Ministry has provided, besides, medicines for cardiac patients, especially those who have undergone open-heart or cardiac catheterization surgeries. These medicines have been distributed on the Holy Sites' cardiac centers.
“By the end of the Hajj season,” he added, “all the remaining medicines and medical and laboratory supplies are counted, and then scheduled, so as to be disseminated on the Kingdom's health facilities depending on each facility's need, thus making optimal use of them.”
Dr. Al-Mazrou went on to say that the Ministry has supported Makkah Holy Sites this year with a new hospital at the Mount Arafat, called East Arafat Hospital, with a bed capacity of 236 beds, equipped with the state-of-the-art medical equipment, and supplied with all the necessary medicines for serving pilgrims.